'''Metropolitan Stephen''' (secular name '''Simeon Ivanovich Yavorsky''', {{lang-ru|Симеон Иванович Яворский}}; 1658 – 8 december <small>[OS 27 november]</small> 1722) was a [[metropolitan]] of Ryazan and Murom and statesman in the [[Russian Empire]]. Patriarchal locum tenens (1701-1721). One of the ablest coadjutors of [[Peter I of Russia|Peter the Great]] and the first president of the [[Most Holy Synod]].

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'''Metropolitan Stephen''' (secular name '''Simeon Ivanovich Yavorsky''', {{lang-ru|Симеон Иванович Яворский}}; 1658 – 8 december <small>[OS 27 november]</small> 1722) was a [[metropolitan]] of Ryazan and Murom and statesman in the [[Russian Empire]]. Patriarchal [[locum tenens]] (1701-1721). One of the ablest coadjutors of [[Peter I of Russia|Peter the Great]] and the first president of the [[Apostolic Governing Synod]].

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Born in [[w:Yavoriv|Yavorov]] near [[w:Lviv|Lvov]], Yavorsky was educated at the [[Kyiv-Mohyla Academy]] and various other schools of the [[w:Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. Becoming a monk, he settled at the Kiev Academy as a preacher and professor, being appointed prefect of the institution and prior of the monastery of St. Nicholas. He attracted the attention of Peter I by his funeral oration over the [[boyar]] [[w:Aleksei Shein|Aleksei Shein]], and was made [[archbishop]] of [[w:Ryazan|Ryazan]] in 1700.

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Born in [[w:Yavoriv|Yavorov]] near [[w:Lviv|Lvov]], Yavorsky was educated at the [[Kiev Theological Academy|Kiev-Mohyla Academy]] and various other schools of the [[w:Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. Becoming a [[monk]], he settled at the Kiev Academy as a preacher and professor, being appointed prefect of the institution and prior of the [[monastery]] of St. Nicholas. He attracted the attention of Peter I by his funeral oration over the boyar [[w:Aleksei Shein|Aleksei Shein]], and was made [[archbishop]] of [[w:Ryazan|Ryazan]] in 1700.

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In 1700, on the death of [[Adrian of Moscow|Adrian]], the last patriarch of [[Moscow]], Stephen Yavorsky was appointed custodian of the spiritualities of the patriarchal see. Notwithstanding frequent collisions with Peter, and his partiality for the unfortunate Tsarevich Alexius, Stephen Yavorsky was too valuable a man to be discarded.

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In 1700, on the death of [[Adrian of Moscow|Adrian]], the last patriarch of Moscow, Stephen Yavorsky was appointed custodian of the spiritualities of the patriarchal [[see]]. Notwithstanding frequent collisions with Peter, and his partiality for the unfortunate Tsarevich Alexius, Stephen Yavorsky was too valuable a man to be discarded.

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In 1721 he was made first president of the newly erected [[Holy Synod]], but died in the following year. After that Stephen's duties were conferred on [[Feofan Prokopovich]].

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In 1721 he was made first president of the newly erected [[Holy Synod]], but died in the following year. After that Stephen's duties were conferred on [[Theophan (Prokopovich) of Novgorod|Theophan Prokopovich]].

In 1700, on the death of Adrian, the last patriarch of Moscow, Stephen Yavorsky was appointed custodian of the spiritualities of the patriarchal see. Notwithstanding frequent collisions with Peter, and his partiality for the unfortunate Tsarevich Alexius, Stephen Yavorsky was too valuable a man to be discarded.

In 1721 he was made first president of the newly erected Holy Synod, but died in the following year. After that Stephen's duties were conferred on Theophan Prokopovich.